Dan Cronin, DuPage County Board Chairman, and Andy Shaw, BGA President and CEO, discussed the future of government streamlining and consolidation during a BGA “Candid Conversation” event held April 20 at Oak Brook-based Inland Real Estate Group.

The conversation, which was streamed online, centered on Cronin’s three-year-plus effort to streamline government operations throughout DuPage County and how that effort fits with the BGA’s statewide government consolidation effort, entitled “Smart Streamlining.”

Cronin reflected on the complicated nature of consolidating units of government.

Resistance from local government leaders and employees remains a major hurdle, he said. But support is growing among government reform groups, local leaders and members of the Illinois General Assembly, as evidenced by the nearly two dozen bills addressing streamlining in some fashion that have been considered by the legislature this session.

Cronin and Shaw also touched on the increasingly partisan tension between Republicans and Democrats in state government and the debate over school funding.

Shaw also asked what’s next politically for Cronin: Right now, he’s focused on his job, but Cronin added, “never say never.”

See the full conversation

BGA Candid Conversations bring together prominent public figures and BGA’s President & CEO Andy Shaw for conversations about good government issues. It’s one of the ways the BGA holds public officials accountable for their promises and actions.

Previous Candid Conversations

	A BGA Candid Conversation With Toni Preckwinkle | November 12, 2015
	A BGA Candid Conversation: Chuy’s Challenge | March 20, 2015
	Rahm Talks Reform With BGA’s Shaw | December 18, 2014
	Bruce, Budget Blues & BGA | December 16, 2014

For more information contact Policy Associate Danish Murtaza at dmurtaza@bettergov.org or 312-386-9202.